Hong Kong’s AAT, Hactl report May cargo numbers

Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT), the second cargo terminal handler at Hong Kong International Airport, said it saw a double-digit growth in air cargo traffic in May 2013 year-over-year, the uptick a trend it has been seeing since January this year.

AAT handled 65,268 tonnes of cargo in May 2013, a rise of 12 percent compared to the same period last year.

Export cargo reached 44,683 tonnes in May, an increase of 11 percent against the same period in 2012; import volume was 20,097 tonnes, up 15 percent; and transshipments grew 8 percent to 488 tonnes.

For the first five months of 2013, the cumulative export cargo was 207,732 tonnes, rising 7 percent against the same period last year. Import volume totaled 91,660 tonnes, a 5 percent year-on-year growth, while transshipment cargo volume from January to May surged 82 percent to 4,494 tonnes.

“AAT has seen a consecutive year-on-year tonnage increase over the past five months and expects the growth trend to continue for the remaining part of the year, as market sentiments seem to have improved,” said Chan Yee Lin, general manager of AAT.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl), HKIA’s major ground handler, reported a slight drop in air cargo processed in May 2013.

Airfreight volume fell 0.3 percent to 176.4 million kilograms from 176.9 million kilograms in May 2013 year-over-year.

The drop mainly arose from a 1 percent decline in imports to 54.7 million kilograms in May this year compared to the same month a year ago. Hactl handled 121.7 million kilograms of exports last month with little year-on-year change.